Elimination Diet
So you’ve got something happening. Maybe its indigestion, maybe its inflammation, maybe you just haven’t felt right in a while and you’d like a way to get yourself back on track. Maybe some of the foods you are consuming are having a negative impact on your life and want to get rid of thee ones that do and you’ve herd an elimination diet is the best way to narrow down what the possible agitators could be for yourself. And maybe you have also herd that following a clean diet and lifestyle are the biggest factors for overall health a wellness today.
I have seen the data and read countless accounts to fully believe that we really don’t know how something can be effecting us until we remove it, allow time for our body to heal and then reintroduce. When our bodies get to a new baseline of alkalinity and function (running the way nature intended), the introduction of something new can either have a nourishing (no symptom) effect or a harmful one (insert 1 or more of 1,000 of symptoms of distress). Following a 10-30 day elimination diet allows for your body to reboot at baseline.
What do we remove/avoid
The most common sources of microbiome dysbiosis and inflammation from our diets. These include (but are not limited to):
Processed food, including refined sugar, flours and low-quality vegetable oils (PUFA’s).
Foods that are acidic which tip our internal pH scale, including dairy, yeast, vinegars, coffee, alcohol
Foods that spike our internal stress responses, including sugar, caffeine/coffee, alcohol and common reactive foods, including gluten, soy, dairy, corn.
Foods that have toxic components / cofactors (conventionally farmed grains, produce, livestock & poultry, farmed fish,
Eeek!!! Does that seem like a lot?
What do We actually eat?
Lots and lots of real food! Real meaning that it was once alive (plant or animal). Nothing manufactured in a Frankenfood laboratory. Foods that are nutrient dense, preferably organic (or keeping to the dirty dozens list would suffice or avoid the foods where you’d be eating the skin of the plant. If you want a non-organic potato, peel the skin off first.
Organic Produce (low sugar fruits like berries and colorful non-starchy vegetables like swiss chard).
Limit nightshades vegetables (tomato, eggplant, peppers, etc.) as these contain lectins which can promote reactions/inflammation.
Pasture Raised animals (for cows that means an exclusive Grass-Fed diet)
Nuts and Seeds
Grains (Rice and Buckwheat)
Wild Fish
Cook in quality oils (avocado, coconut, algae, macadamia oil, MCT oil, ghee, lard or tallow).
Lots and lots of water and herbal teas
Plant based, unsweetened yogurts
Herbs and Spices to enhance flavors of foods (they also add more nutrition too).
Clearing up some misconceptions
This is not a weight loss diet/program. This is a program designed to allow your body time to refresh and heal. Thought weight loss is a common after effect of treating your body with loving kindness that is not the main focus.
Don’t our body detox naturally? Why yes it does, that is exactly what our liver, kidneys, skin and lungs do, they release toxins from our body. The problem arises though when our body is constantly being over burdened with toxins, allergens, and if our microbiome is out of balance then our organs ability to get ahead or even keep up (efficiency) is zilch. By supporting your elimination organs and reducing the constant strain on the body you can accomplish this task more successfully. I like to imagine a bath tub where your elimination organs are the drain. If you keep filling the tub with water, will the tub ever drain?
Will I be overly tired. No. There will be times when your body is working hard, times when you may feel fatigued but once your body shifts into a ketogenic fat burn (usually after 3-4 days) you will likely experience MORE energy that you ever had. You just have to get over that hump, which can be a challenge for many (that’s what good coaches are for 😉)
What does a day on an elimination diet look like?
Wake up - ingest probiotic, prebiotic & digestive enzyme complex with a green superfood to nourish first thing in the morning.
Break-fast - Either a nutrient packed meal replacement shake (my favorite) or Sweet Potato Turkey Sausages with a side of baby spinach. Mid-Morning - drinking a lot of water or herbal tea
Lunch - Greens with Roasted & Fresh Veggies, Grilled Chicken, EVOO, tahini & lemon for a dressing. Or another meal replacement shake.
Mid-afternoon - Avocado over a rice cake or handful of nuts and seeds
Dinner - Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Grass-Fed Meatballs and Sautéed Veggies.
Interested to learn more? There are several ways to approach an elimination diet and knowing what options are available to make it easy and attainable can further support your success. I love coaching people thought this journey into loving your body because for me that’s exactly what this program does best. Get you feeling your body, how it reacts, how it is supported, how it’s hindered, how you respond to stress, how to work thought challenges, how you are more powerful than you initially thought. I’m am expert and this is my domain so please reach out to me and we can work together to find the best to way to support you and your being.